Category Archives: on the farm

This morning I awoke to the brightness that comes with the morning sun reflecting off of snow on the roof. Around here that means one thing- it is going to be frigid outside.  And sure enough, when I pulled my boots and down jacket on and opened the door to let the dogs out for their morning run, that bitingly cold air immediately hit my cheeks.  I grabbed a touque as I headed out the door and into that gorgeous morning sunshine.

I love my mornings with the dogs- the stillness in the air with only the sound of (today at least) our footfalls crunching through the frozen snow.  It was so clear with only a few wispy clouds high in the sky.  As I looked up I noticed a jet- so high that if not for the contrails I wouldn’t have seen it at all.  I always wonder where it is going, where are the people on board headed.  Are they excited about going on holiday?  Do they look forward to getting home to loved ones?  Even as I write, I can hear planes overhead, flying lower, most likely landing in Seattle.  I love that many of our return flights pass over our home- I always look for familiar landmarks as we come in, excited to return to our little piece of home sweet home.

The frost on the pasture fences and along the roofline of the hen house and barn formed such beautiful crystals that, after feeding the sheep and barn kitties and melting the water for the hens, I ran back in for my camera.  We don’t often get such gorgeous cold weather here and I wanted to capture it to share.  The barn had little icicles on the metal roof, and the edge of the chicken coop had a longer one that reminded me of my childhood.  It made me happy.

I hope you have a wonderful Sunday, wherever you are.  I am looking forward to staying indoors with the sunshine streaming through the windows, eating comfort food and enjoying time with the boys I love most.

x

We find ourselves in the midst of my favorite season of the year and yet this year, it is different.  This year I feel so much more present in the season itself, and am really embracing the quiet magic that is Christmas. Instead of getting wrapped up in the hectic shopping and commercial aspects of it this year, we are really focusing on the things that create life-long memories.  We have been exploring our property and the woods near our house and bringing in greenery that we have found to decorate.  The smell of something sweet baking in the oven has become a regular occurrence and we get excited planning what we shall bake next. We talk of goodies we can make for those we love, packaged in boxes and wrapped with twine.  We snuggle more, slow down our busy days in favor of lounging and playing legos.  We read more.

This year we are keeping Christmas simple.  Gifts will be special but there will be less of them.  Our time will be focused on baking, enjoying each other’s company, and eating good meals.  We see the value in making memories and plan to do much of that over the next few weeks.

At times I find that I am in need of inspiration when it comes to looking outside our regular holiday routine.  I don’t have to look far~

This post by my dear friend Mel completely captures my feeling of Christmas magic

I plan to try making egg nog this year

I’m already dreaming of this peppermint bark

Wouldn’t these be a great gift?

And really?  Chai tea shortbread???

In light of recent events I find myself holding my children closer, stopping to just look at them and wanting to treasure every single moment.  I seem to appreciate them in a way I had taken for granted and want to stop time to just take it all in.  My heart has been hurting and I want to do something.  I don’t know what it is specifically but I do know that I want to go forward with more kindness and compassion.  I want to make a change in honor of those innocent souls who were taken too soon.

Random acts of kindness- consider it, in tribute~

x

Hello friends~

We are working hard to get the shop restocked one last time before the holidays. I am hoping to get the shop restocked for this coming Friday morning- the 7th of December.  While some of this won’t make it in time for that date (drying can take longer than I would like at times…) I wanted to share some of the beautiful pieces coming off the wheel this weekend.  Enjoy!

x

{photo courtesy Lissa Whitlock and her amazing baking & photography skills}

Today I shall be celebrating- friendship, family, laughter, life in general.  42- I plan to rock this one…

x

{OPENING FRIDAY NOVEMBER 16TH}

Friends, I am so excited to share this with you!  I’d like to introduce you to tiggy & grace – a little online shop filled with things I love.  I have been working on this project for quite some time now.  I have been hoping to share some of my favorite things with you, and an online pop-up shop seemed to be the answer to that.

Auntie Tiggy- my great Auntie Tiggy to be exact, was someone very special to me.  She was the sister of my Granddad and the first person I lived with when I moved out on my own at 19.  She was also my Godmother and I think that sort of bonded us in a way.  I lived in a suite in her home, a home that had been in our family for many years, and a suite that many of our family members had been fortunate enough to call home at one time or another.  Tiggy was an extraordinary character, filled with grace as well as spirit.  She was a woman before her time, and yet always had such a sense of decorum and, well, grace.  I can honestly say that everything I know of grace I learned from her, and since those times, grace has become one of my very favorite words.

I began planning this shop by working with Mr. Taylor in his pottery studio.  I knew I wanted some wonderful special pieces of white pottery, each a unique creation.  These sweet treasures are like many of the pieces we have in our own home.  They are rustic and imperfect and absolutely lovely- I hope you find them just as special as I do.

Next I knew I had to have some aprons in the shop.  I love aprons- I wear them much of each day, while I am in the kitchen or in the gardens.  I like having a pocket in which to drop small things I pick up along the way. I enjoy long straps that wrap around twice, and linen that wrinkles and feels soft while I work.  I found some fabric that I liked and had some beautiful aprons made, some full, some half, all long.  I have really loved the one that I have been wearing, and know that you will love yours.

With that same soft linen I had some rustic simple napkins made.  I had purchased some wonderful napkins with surged edges for shooting last autumn and had always wanted to have more made.  I really like the feel of them, as well as the size.  I will be having a set of white made for the farm as we use cloth napkins at our table.

Finally I wanted to share with you my absolutely favorite smoked salt.  Smoked by a local orchard, this applewood smoked salt is to. die. for.  It smells divine!  It tastes even better- on popcorn, on meat, on vegetables- on everything!  Packaged in my very favorite Weck jars, you will LOVE this salt.

tiggy & grace will open on Friday November 16th.  You can find us here:  http://tiggygrace.bigcartel.com  I really hope to see you there!

x

Happy Sunday!

I wanted to share a project that Mr. Taylor and I worked on yesterday.  Our master bedroom has been long neglected.  We have lived on the farm for nine years now, and it is the one room that we have done absolutely nothing with.  It is a really great space occupying the entire top floor of our home.  It has wood slat ceilings, wood floors reclaimed from a grain elevator in Texas, and fabulous light from nearly an entire wall of windows and doors facing west.

I had been noticing wood walls and wood headboards for some time, most recently when a friend posted a photo he had found of a room done entirely in reclaimed wood.  As we have never had a headboard that I liked ( we removed the old one and never replaced it) and as I loved the look of reclaimed wood, I thought that it would be the perfect solution.  I should mention that I often feel like our room would make a fabulous tree-house.  It is up in the trees with views of green from every window.  Adding wood touches seemed the perfect fit.

So I had this idea and was talking to a friend a few weeks back.  I had mentioned my idea and that I needed to be on the lookout for great reclaimed wood, when she asked me if I had considered looking in our barn.  Uhm, no, as a matter of fact I hadn’t.  But I did, the minute I arrived home.  And holy dinah- there is some fabulous wood in there!  So off three long planks came~

My husband was kind enough to cut them into the lengths that I wanted (he also removed them for me).  I then sanded and cleaned them as best I could.  When #1 was home last weekend he hauled them into our room, and there they sat, reminding me that I needed to get going on it!  So, yesterday I decided that I wanted to get started.

First things first, we had to move a light on the wall above our bed that had never been in the right spot.  Seeing as we were going to be covering the wall with wood, it seemed like a good time to make a bit of a mess, which we did.  Once again I was grateful for having a husband who is great with things such as this.

Once the wiring for the light was where we wanted it, we laid out the beams in the order we wanted on the floor and then began hanging them, top beam first.  It was definitely a two man job as we had to make sure they were level and those babies were heavy!  We worked our way down until we got to the beam that needed holes drilled through for the wiring.  After the holes were cut in the proper spots and the wire was brought through, that beam was hung.

Once all six were secured on the wall we attached the lights to it.

Next came the shelves.  Before today, my husband kept a mountain (I’m not kidding- it was a mountain!) of books on his bedside.  Do you see ALL of the books on the shelves?  They were ALL on his bedside table.  every. single. one.  I had found a long heavy beam in the barn long ago and had saved it for such an occasion.  I cut it in three- two 3 foot sections and one a bit longer- and we staggered them on the wall on his side of the bed.  We used heavy-duty brackets as we knew they would be supporting a lot of weight, and were also restricted to where the studs were.

Finally, when making the bed up, I decided – finally- to use one of my French sheets on our bed.  I have had them for quite some time (thanks to my darling Ange) and was always nervous to actually use them.  However, she uses them every night on her beds so I thought why not?  I ADORE the embroidered monogram as well as the weight of it.  And, I feel special sleeping under it- I’m not sure why, but I do.

So, in one day we took our bedroom from boring to fabulous and I am so excited about it.

Have a wonderful week mes amies~

xx

I know that I am not alone in loving the start of the weekend.  Fridays seem to have a glow to them, filled with a little more joy than the other weekdays.  This weekend promises to be a busy one.  #2 has Homecoming – game tonight, dance tomorrow.  His date is absolutely DARLING and I hope to share a pic next week.

I am also hoping to work on some pottery projects with my handsome husband.  He has been doing what I have been requesting lately and I can’t wait to be able to sell some of his gorgeous pieces in the near future!

I hope you have a wonderful weekend~  If you are looking for inspiration…

~what do you send your kids in their lunches?

~looking for pretty and delicious and inspiring?

~less than two weeks until I get to visit here!!!

AND – have you signed up to join us in creating a home you LOVE???  There is still time!!

Hello friends,

This is our first weekend without #1.  It has been a good week, with few tears, and I think we are going to be fine as a house of five.  And yet, he has left an empty spot in our family dynamic.  And I miss him.

I will say, however, that I am looking forward to this weekend.  #s 2-4 will be home and I am hoping to have a bonfire, complete with s’mores.  I have a number of ideas for feeding my crew, and am hoping to see some friends at some point.  The farmer’s markets are filled with some of the things I love most and I plan to go to my favorite summer market tomorrow morning.  The forecast calls for gorgeous crisp days and I am going to enjoy every last second while wonderful autumn is here!

Sunday I am looking forward to meeting Ina Garten here in Seattle!  As one of the people who most inspire me, I am giddy!  I hope to take photos and will share them if I do~

What do you have planned this weekend?  What is the weather like where you are?  Has autumn begun to arrive or are you still feeling like you are mid-summer?  What are you most looking forward to when autumn does arrive?

Have a fabulous weekend whatever you are doing!

xx

I love that word- harvest.  It sounds so grounded and gives me a sense of getting back to the basic practices of living on our little piece of land.

Lately I have stepped away from my computer in order to reconnect with things that tend to go untended when I lose myself online.  I have been in the gardens weeding and cleaning and harvesting.  I have been cutting flowers to dry, as well as herbs which are wonderful when they are freshly dried.  I have been collecting seeds from my favorite flowers to save and share- one of my favorite things to do.  The poppy crop has been so beautiful this year- pink and lavender blooms standing tall in the sun, their petals ruffled like little upside down tutus.  Their seeds fall freely from the gorgeous pods, when I can bring myself to cut them.  I enjoy their simply round blue-green heads almost as much as the flowers that stood before them.

Last week I cut the lavender and it is currently hanging to dry.  I began cutting off the flowers yesterday, the soothing scent filling the room.  I find that I don’t wish to wasted one single head as it is so fragrant.  These little purple buds will fill little bags and accompany gifts this holiday season, surprising the recipient with a burst of summer scent when they open their package.

Another treat that comes with slowing down and being truly present in the gardens is the ability to observe the smallest life that also inhabits the space.  I followed the bees around as they went from bloom to bloom collecting pollen.  They are so efficient as they buzz from one flower to the next.  I was excited to share the images with #4 when I realized the amazing view of our little neighbors that had been captured through the lens.  You could literally see the veins in their translucent wings and the bits of pollen covering them!  It definitely validated my wish to add bees to the farm next year. I can’t wait to watch the entire process first-hand and capture their amazing creation at the end of the season~

The bees seem to be as fond of these sweet little blooms as I am.  I have found them throughout the entry garden, as well as peeking up through the pavers along the edges.  The shades of pink that they produce are so soft and I love how tiny the little flowers are.  I do wish I knew what they were – or where they came from for that matter.  Their foliage is soft and feathery and mounds a bit underneath their stems.  If you happen to know what they are, please share!

I was so excited this year to grow nasturtiums and have them develop seeds to collect.  Nasturtiums and I go way back.  When I was a child my grandparents lived in the Gulf Islands just off the coast of BC between the mainland and Vancouver Island.  Each summer our family would make the journey there- sometimes by plane, other times driving the three days it took to make our way there.   When we arrived there were traditions we followed- every single time.  There was a stop at the General Store, the buying of ice cream, licorice, and Archie comics, and the trip up the long drive where Grannie would be waiting for us.  Those memories hold magic for me- so much so that I have been unable to return to that island since my Grandparents passed a mere 13 days apart many years ago.

One thing that I remember vividly was collecting nasturtium seeds that filled the boxes along the deck overlooking the sea.  Granddad filled those boxes every summer with orange, red, and yellow flowers but by the time we arrived, many of them had died back and those little seeds hung there, waiting for our arrival to be collected.  I loved that job- the little seeds fell easily into our hands and were put in a bowl for granddad to lay out on tables he had set up out back to dry.

I have wanted to grow them for some time but this was the first year that they were happy enough to not only survive but to provide me some seeds for next year.  They are now drying and then will be stored in the barn until next spring, when they will be planted in the soil and watched to see if they too are happy enough to bloom.

I have also been working on my contributions to our Creatively Made Home e-course that is coming up.  You have one more day to sign up and get the reduced rate.  I am really excited with the work that we have completed and know that if you have ever struggled with creating a home that fits your style you will benefit from this course~  I hope to see you there!  You can sign up with the “buy now” button to the right.

I realize that many of you are not on Instagram- and yet that is where I feel I am spending most of my time this summer.  I haven’t been online a lot but Instagram is so easy as photos of daily life can be posted from my phone on the go.  It is a great way to keep in touch with what is happening on the farm this summer.  If you want to follow along I can be found under kimberlytaylorimages

We are in the middle of a fabulous fruit season.  I have made many trips to local markets and fruit farms to buy flats of fruit- mainly blueberries, raspberries, and apricots.  I have been making jam as well as freezing fruit for the coming winter, when it is always nice to pull out fruit from the summer to use in desserts and smoothies.  We have even had a large crop of raspberries here on the farm and I have frozen a number of large freezer bags of them.  I never wash them before freezing as the water messes with the freezing process.  I always freeze everything on cookie sheets over night and then put them in the ziplock bags once they are completely frozen.  They tend to keep their shape and freeze so nicely this way.

Have you been making anything with the summer bounty from the gardens and local farmer’s markets?  I would love to hear about it!